             (string/join " "
                          (let [loaded
                                (try
-                                 (workbook-sandbox (read-string expr))
+                                 (binding [*read-eval* true]
+                                   (workbook-sandbox (binding [*read-eval* true] (read-string expr))))
                                  ;; TODO: how can I show the stack trace for the
                                  ;; attempt to process the expression?
                                  (catch Exception e

  (:refer-clojure :exclude [get-in merge resolve find parents])
  (:require
   [babel.engine :refer [generate]]
   [babel.english.grammar :as en]
   [babel.espanol.writer :as es]
   [babel.francais.grammar :as fr]
   [babel.italiano.grammar :as it]
   [babel.over :refer [over]]
   [babel.html :as html]
   [babel.korma :as korma]
   [babel.parse :as parse]
   [babel.pos :as pos]
   [babel.reader :as reader]
   [babel.test.fr :as frtest]
   [clojail.core :refer [sandbox]]
   [clojail.testers :refer :all]
   [clojure.core :exclude [get-in]]

;;                                @fr/small)
(def foo
  (do

    (try
      (generate {:synsem {:sem {:pred :be-called}}} @esg/small :add-subcat false)
      (catch Exception e
        (log/warn (str "ignoring exception while trying to generate: e=" e))))
;    (generate {:synsem {:subcat '()
;                      :infl :imperfect
;                        :sem {:pred :be
;                              :subj {:pred :I}}}}
;              @fr/small)

    ;; the below is needed to avoid:
    ;;INFO  56:12,470 com.mchange.v2.c3p0.C3P0Registry:
